This rivalry led to his ouster from the TWUA in 1952, after which he joined the United Textile Workers of America as national organizing director.

Following the merger of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) into the AFL-CIO in 1958, Baldanzi was president of the United Textile Workers of America from 1958 until his death in 1972.

He also served as the chairman of the CIO's Italian-American Trade Union committee during World War II.

[2] Baldanzi was an advocate for organizing textile workers in the Southern United States, arguing with Northern delegates at the CIO's convention that they should not be seen as invading.

While Bittner worked from Atlanta, Baldanzi chose to operate out of Greensboro, North Carolina because it was close to many textile plants.